Discover it Balance Transfer
- Annual Fee
- $0
- Top Rate
- 5X
Terms checked against the issuer on October 10, 2026
At a Glance
- Annual Fee
- $0
- Authorized User Fee
- $0
- Foreign Transaction Fee
- $0
- Network
- —
- Point Valuation
- 1–1 cpp (mid: 1)
- Credit Required
- Good to Excellent
Earning Rates
- 5X
Rotating Quarterly
5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places each quarter, up to the quarterly maximum when you activate; 1% on purchases over the maximum
Cap: $1,500/quarterly
- 5X
Capital One Entertainment
5% cash back on tickets bought on the Capital One Entertainment ticketing platform with this card; excludes cardholder-exclusive pre-sales, Capital One Hall/Arena direct ticketing and Capital One Dining
- 5X
Hotels Capital One
5% cash back on hotels and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Travel; purchases outside Capital One Travel earn the standard rate
- 5X
Car Rentals Capital One
5% cash back on rental cars booked through Capital One Travel; purchases outside Capital One Travel earn the standard rate
- 1X
All Other
Unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases (matched in the first year with Cashback Match). The balance-transfer landing page body lists no earn rates; the rates come from its Rates And Fees disclosure ("Things you should know about this rewards program"), read 2026-10-10
Benefits & Perks
Insurance & Protections
3 protectionsFree FICO Score through CreditWise
Check your FICO Score 8 for free through CreditWise; checking it does not hurt your credit.
$0 fraud liability on unauthorized purchases
Never responsible for unauthorized purchases. Discover monitors every transaction and alerts you of suspicious activity.
Instant account freeze and unfreeze
Freeze your account instantly to block new purchases if your card is lost. Unfreeze just as quickly when found.
Program & Transfers
Cash Back Rewards
Cash Back Rewards is the rewards program for this card. Transfer-partner details are currently unavailable.
Reviews & Analysis
Pros and Cons
Pros
- +0% intro APR for 15 months on purchases and balance transfers
- +No annual fee
- +Cashback Match doubles all cash back earned in the first year
- +No late payment fee on first occurrence
- +No foreign transaction fees
- +Free FICO credit score and SSN monitoring
- +Virtual card numbers for secure online shopping
Cons
- -5% rotating categories must be activated each quarter and are capped at $1,500 of purchases; everything else earns 1%
- -3% intro balance transfer fee (5% on later promotional transfers)
- -Discover network has more limited merchant acceptance than Visa/Mastercard
- -Variable APR of 17.74%-26.74% after intro period ends
- -Cash advance APR is high at 28.74%
Who It's Best For
Best For
- People with existing credit card debt looking to save on interest
- Those who can pay off a balance within 15 months
- Cardholders who want to earn cash back while paying down debt
- People who want a long 0% intro APR period with no annual fee
Not Ideal For
- Those who will not activate the 5% categories each quarter (purchases then earn 1%)
- Spenders who exceed the $1,500 quarterly cap on 5% categories
- International travelers (Discover has limited acceptance abroad)
- People who want premium rewards without carrying a balance
Details & Terms
Payment Terms
| Purchase APR | 17.74%–26.74% (Variable) |
| Cash Advance APR | 28.74% (Variable) |
| Foreign Transaction Fee | $0 |
| Authorized User Fee | $0 |
Media & Resources
Evidence Sources
| Source | Verified | Citation |
|---|---|---|
| Discover Official | — | Discover Official |
| Issuer Page | Issuer Page: Multiple card facts | |
| Issuer Page | Issuer Page | |
| NerdWallet | — | NerdWallet |
| Discover Official | Discover Official |
Top brands for this card
Brands where this card's earn-rate structure makes it a strong choice. Open a brand for the full ranked list.